Final Fantasy VI: Destiny - Ace of Spades
by Magus Darkstar
Summary: The fate of Setzer three years after the fall of Kefka


Ace of Spades  
  
Setzer - Final Fantasy VI: Destiny  
Fanfic by Magus Darkstar  
Based upon the Final Fantasy VI game  
--------------  
  
Breaking through a patch of clouds, the Falcon soars through the air. Care-free  
and agile, the mighty airship cuts through the wind, blowing a breeze through Setzer   
Gabbiani's flowing hair. Standing at the helm, Setzer steers his ship towards the opera   
house, eager to catch the famous Maria's new performance.  
  
As the Falcon passes a patch of clouds on each side, swift noises cut through  
the air.  
  
"What?" Setzer says, looking to his sides. He sees a group of ropes connected  
to his ship from the coulds. Walking forward to investigate, men begin to slide onto  
the Falcon from the clouds. "What the hell is going on here?" Setzer says, grabbing his  
darts. As the Falcon passes the clouds, two red airships emerge from them which have   
connected with the Falcon. A tall, slim, black haired man dressed in black gear boards   
the ship.  
  
"You must be Setzer Gabbiani. My name is Nathan Mist, and we are known as 'The   
Red Wings'. We are here to hijack your airship." the man says.  
  
"Wanna bet?" Setzer says, sending a kick to Nathan's face. Nathan dodges and backs  
away, letting four soldiers in armed with sabers. With lightning speed and accuracy, Setzer  
tosses darts at all of them, swiftly evading any attacks made on him. The soldiers fall.  
  
"Impressive. I understand you're a gambling man, Mr. Gabbiani. How about we make a   
little wager..." Nathan says.  
  
"I always enjoy a challenge," Setzer says, bringing his right fist up behind him,   
knocking out a soldier sneaking up. "but I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline."  
  
"Very well." Nathan says, snapping his fingers. Setzer turns around as he is shot   
with a tranquilizer. Setzer's vision gets blurry as he collapses. Setzer is knocked out  
cold.  
  
-------  
  
Blinking his eyes and managing to sit up, Setzer regains conciousness in his room.  
He attempts to rub his head to try and relieve his headache, but he realizes he can't. He  
has been tied up.  
  
"This is just dandy." Setzer says. "What could the Red Wings want... Why would they  
need the Falcon when they have their own ships..." As he ponders, he hears the lock on his  
door rustle. A young, blonde man in a Red Wings uniform enters.  
  
"My name's Brendin Vesna. I'm here to help." says the young man, hurrying to  
Setzer's side and releasing him.  
  
"Why are you helping me?" Setzer asks, unsure of Brendin's true intentions.  
  
"Nathan and the Red Wings are going too far. We have to stop them!" Brendin says  
desperately. Setzer nods and moves out the door stealthly with Brendin. Evading the guards'  
sight, they manage to make it to the engine room.  
  
"We should be safe here." Setzer says, looking around. Brendin sits down with a sigh  
of relief. "Now, explain to me everything that is happening. What are 'The Red Wings'   
exactly?"  
  
"We are a group of rouges. Nathan began recruiting us, promising a better future.  
He had gained access to a set of newly built airships, the ones that were created after the  
fall of Kefka. We would use it as our base of operations, pillaging towns and taking what we  
'needed' from them." Brendin explained.  
  
"Well, why did you join?" Setzer asked.  
  
"Nathan has always been a good friend. We've known eachother for a long time. I was  
just trying to give him support. But, a few years ago, Nathan's family was killed by the  
'Light of Judgement', and it was like he lost it. Even after Kefka was defeated, he swore  
that he would make things right in the world. It was almost like he wasn't the same person."  
  
"So... What does Nathan want now?" Setzer asked, trying to grasp the full picutre.  
Brendin begins to quiver.  
  
"That's where has has crossed the line... He's loaded the Falcon with explosives.  
He's going to fly to Figaro Castle and, since the King wouldn't expect anything from the  
Falcon, Nathan is going to start a suprise attack... and bomb Figaro..." Brendin says, his  
eyes lowered to the floor. Setzer steps back in shock. "He is then going to transfer his  
base of operations to Figaro and exact his control over the world... The robbing is one   
thing... but this is an all out massacre!"  
  
"We have to stop him." Setzer says, turning back to the exit.  
  
"What? How? We don't have a chance against Nathan and the Red Wings..." Brendin says  
sorrowfully. Setzer turns back to him.  
  
"We're just going to have to try our luck and toss the dice. You in?" Setzer asks,  
holding his hand out to Brendin. Brendin grabs it and stands.  
  
"Right!" Brendin says, pulling out his knives from his belt. "Let's go!"  
  
-------  
  
Two Red Wings guards stand at attention next to the ladder to the deck. Suddenly, a  
dozen cards fly into the guard on the right. The guard on the left, suprised looks to his   
fallen partner, only to be sliced by Brendin from behind.  
  
"This way." Setzer says, climbing up the ladder. Brendin follows.  
  
At the end of the deck, watching the shore approach, Nathan Mist stands. A few strands  
of black hair waver in front of his face. Setzer emerges from the hatch leading into the   
airship, followed by Brendin.  
  
"Nathan! This is insane! Stop this now!" Setzer shouts at the leader of the Red Wings.  
  
"Please listen to him Nathan!" Brendin shouts.  
  
"Brendin..." Nathan says, slowly turning to the pair. "What happened..." He begins to  
advance. "I thought I could count on you..."  
  
"Nathan... What you are doing is wrong!" Brendin pleads. Nathan takes out his whip and  
in the blink of an eye, has it wrapped around Brendin's neck.  
  
"Brendin!" Setzer shouts. Men come from behind and restain Setzer. "Get your hands   
off me!" Setzer says, pulling at the guards, but to no avail. Nathan snarls as Brendin   
struggles at the whip around his throat.  
  
"You were my FRIEND, Brendin!" Nathan shouts, pulling on the whip slightly with his  
left hand. Brendin chokes.  
  
"I... I'm sorry... Nate..."  
  
"Yes... Indeed you are. Indeed you are." Nathan says calmly. He tugs on the whip  
sharply, quickly snapping Brendin's neck. He falls to the ground. Dead.  
  
"Brendin!" Setzer shouts helplessly. Channeling his anger, Setzer throws the guards  
holding him to the side and pulls out his cards. "Nathan! You monster!"  
  
Nathan begins to chuckle.  
  
"Mr. Gabbiani, I was planning on keeping you alive to help convince Figaro of the  
Falcon's trustworthy-ness, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to silence you now, just like I  
had to do to my 'old friend'."  
  
Setzer launches a barrage of cards at Nathan, but he knocks them all away with   
accuracy with his whip. The two charge at eachother, one blinded by hate, the other, by  
grief. Kicking Nathan in the side, Setzer begins to relenquish his fury and punches Nathan's  
chest, knocking him backwards. Holding his chest and kneeling to the floor, Nathan smirks.  
He stands and strikes Setzer's right arm with his whip, trapping it. With his free hand,  
Setzer tosses a card at Nathan, cutting into his face.  
  
"AHHH! DAMN YOU!" Nathan says, his anger and hatred for Setzer growing more and more.  
Nathan pulls on the whip, sending Setzer flying into him.  
  
"I can hit him!" Setzer thinks to himself. "I'm going to have to chance it!" Setzer  
prepares his attack. Nathan reaches into his belt and pulls out a knife, ducking under Setzer  
and stabbing it into his abdomen. Setzer, feeling the knife tear into his flesh, realizes  
what has happened. Setzer crashes against the main steering mechanisim and falls to the  
ground.  
  
"Nathan..." Setzer struggles out, holding his wound. "I won't let you harm the people  
of Figaro." Nathan lets out a chuckle.  
  
"What are you going to do, bleed on me?"  
  
Setzer turns to look at the control panel of his airship.  
  
"I've heard you are a gambling man. Well, it seems to me, that you took a chance,  
rolled the dice, and lost. It's over for you, Mr. Gabbianni."  
  
"There's a strange quality about gamblers, Nathan." Setzer says weakly.  
  
"What would that be?"  
  
"They never know when to quit."  
  
Sezter flips open a hatch on the control panel and depresses a button, setting off an  
explosion rocking the ship.  
  
"What was that!" Nathan says frantically.  
  
"Self-detonation device. I'm taking away all your fire power against Figaro. I won't  
... let you... harm... them..." Setzer says quietly, his voice weakening, before it finally  
fades away.  
  
  
Above the shores of South Figaro, in the distance can be seen a large airship, balls  
of fire erupting from it every now and again. The Falcon begins to head into the sea aflame,  
splashing up water around it as it sinks. A final explosion erupts, turning the ship into  
unidentifiable piles of flaming debris floating in the water.  
  
After everything calms, and the fires have died down out to sea, debris begins to  
build on the shore. The most noticable thing to wash up, however, is a single card, face up.  
  
The Ace of Spades.  
  
  
The card of death.  
  
END 


End file.
